Valve device
11231026 · 2022-01-25
Assignee
Inventors
- Kazunari Watanabe (Osaka, JP)
- Kohei SHIGYOU (Osaka, JP)
- Kenji Aikawa (Osaka, JP)
- Tomohiro Nakata (Osaka, JP)
- Takahiro Matsuda (Osaka, JP)
- Tsutomu Shinohara (Osaka, JP)
Cpc classification
F16K7/12
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K31/365
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F04B43/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K7/17
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K11/22
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F04B37/14
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K11/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F16K31/365
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K11/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K27/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K7/12
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F04B43/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16K7/17
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A valve device includes valve elements each having a valve seat, a valve seat support, and a diaphragm provided so as to be able to abut on and separate from the seat surface of the valve seat, the diaphragm making the flow passage of the valve seat and the corresponding secondary flow path communicate through the gap between the diaphragm and the valve seat, and the valve seat support has seal surfaces that cooperate with a part of the inner wall surface of the corresponding accommodation recess to shut off the communication between the corresponding primary flow path and the secondary flow path, and a detour passage that connects the primary flow path and the flow passage of the valve seat, and the valve body defines a communication passage that makes the secondary flow paths communicates with each other.
Claims
1. A valve device, comprising: a block-shaped valve body, the valve body defining first and second accommodation recesses in which first and second valve elements are respectively housed, primary flow paths respectively making the first and second accommodation recesses communicate with the exterior of the valve body, secondary flow paths respectively making the first and second accommodation recesses communicate with the exterior of the valve body, each secondary flow path extending to an outer periphery of a corresponding one of the first or second accommodation recess, and a communication flow path extending between an outer periphery of the first valve element and an outer periphery of the second valve element and connecting the first and second accommodation recesses to make the secondary flow paths communicate with each other, and each of the first and second valve elements selectively switching a state of communication between the primary and secondary flow paths connected to the first or second accommodation recess.
2. The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the valve body defines opposing top and bottom surfaces and side surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, each of the first and second valve elements comprises: a valve seat having an annular seating surface formed on one end surface, an annular sealing surface formed on the other end surface, and a flow passage formed inside between the annular seating surface and the annular sealing surface and passing from the one end surface to the other end surface, a valve seat support having a support surface against which the annular sealing surface of the valve seat abuts to support the valve seat and receive a pressing force from the annular sealing surface, and a diaphragm provided to be in contact with and spaced apart from the annular seating surface of the valve seat, the diaphragm making the flow passage of the valve seat and a corresponding secondary flow path communicate through a gap between the diaphragm and the annular seating surface of the valve seat, the valve seat support has a sealing surface that cooperates with a portion of the inner wall surface of the corresponding accommodation recess to block the communication between the corresponding primary and secondary flow paths, and a detour passage that connects the primary flow path and the flow passage of the valve seat.
3. The valve device according to claim 2, wherein each of the primary flow paths is open at the bottom surface of the valve body, each of the secondary flow paths is branched into a plurality of branch flow paths in the valve body, and each of the plurality of branch flow paths is open at any of a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface of the valve body.
4. The valve device according to claim 2, wherein the secondary flow paths and the communication flow path extend in the longitudinal direction of the valve body and are formed on a common axis.
5. The valve device according to claim 4, wherein the secondary flow path having one end connected to the first accommodation recess is closed at the other end in the valve body, and the secondary flow path having one end connected to the second accommodation recess is open at the other end on the side surface of the valve body.
6. The valve device according to claim 2, further comprising a sealing member provided between a part of an inner wall surface of each of the first and second accommodation recesses and a sealing surface of the valve seat support.
7. The valve device according to claim 6, wherein the sealing member is configured to be crushed between a part of an inner wall surface of the accommodation recess and the valve seat support by receiving a pressing force from the valve seat.
8. The valve device according to claim 2, further comprising a positioning and pressing member for positioning the valve seat with respect to the support surface of the valve seat support and pressing the valve seat toward the support surface of the valve seat support, wherein the positioning and pressing member has a flow passage for making the flow passage of the valve seat and the secondary flow path communicate through a gap between the diaphragm and the annular seating surface.
9. The valve device according to claim 8, wherein the positioning and pressing member is disposed between the valve body and the diaphragm.
10. The valve device according to claim 8, further comprising an actuator for driving the diaphragm, wherein a casing containing the actuator is screwed into the valve body, and the positioning and pressing member presses the valve seat toward the support surface of the valve seat support by utilizing the screwing force of the casing.
11. A flow rate control device for controlling a flow rate of a fluid, comprising the valve device as claimed in claim 1.
12. A flow rate control method comprising using the valve device as claimed in claim 1 for controlling the flow rate of a fluid.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
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DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(14) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote components having substantially the same functions, and thus a repetitive description thereof is omitted,
(15)
(16) In
(17) The valve body 20 is a block-shaped member having a rectangular shape in a top view, and defines a top surface 20f1 and a bottom surface 20f2, and four side surfaces 20f3 to 20f6 extending between the top surface 20f1 and the bottom surface 20f2. In addition, it defines two accommodation recesses 22A, 22B that open at the top surface 20f1. The accommodation recesses 22A, 22B have a similar structure and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction B1, B2. The accommodation recesses 22A and 22B each include a valve element 2A,2B, which will be described later.
(18) As can be seen from
(19) The valve body 20 defines primary flow paths 21A and 21B connected to the first and second accommodation recesses 22A and 22B, respectively, secondary flow paths 24A and 24B connected to the accommodation recesses 22A and 22B, respectively, and a communication flow path 24C connecting the accommodation recess 22A and the accommodation recess 22B. The communication flow path 24C functions as a part of the secondary flow path 24, as described later. The primary flow paths 21A and 21B are flow paths on the side where a fluid such as a gas is supplied from the outside. The secondary flow path 24 is a flow path for allowing a fluid such as a gas flowing in from the primary flow paths 21A and 21B through the valve element 2A,2B to flow out to the outside.
(20) The primary flow path 21A is formed to be inclined with respect to the bottom surface 20f2 of the valve body 20, and has one end connected to the accommodation recess 22A at the bottom surface 22d and the other end opened at the bottom surface 20f2.
(21) The primary flow path 21B is formed so as to be inclined in the opposite direction to the primary flow path 21A with respect to the bottom surface 20f2 of the valve body 20, and has one end connected to the accommodation recess 22B at the bottom surface 22d and the other end opened at the bottom surface 201′2.
(22) Seal holding portions 21a and 21h are formed around the openings of the primary flow paths 21A and 21B, respectively. In the seal holding portions 21a and 21b, gaskets are disposed as seal members. The valve body 20 is connected to another flow path block (not shown) by screwing fastening bolts into the screw holes 20h1 and 20112. At this time, the gaskets held by the seal holding portions 21a and 21b are crushed by the fastening force of the fastening bolt between the gasket and another flow path block (not shown), so that the periphery of the opening of the primary flow paths 21A and 21B is sealed.
(23) Examples of the gasket include gaskets made of metal or resin. Examples of the gasket include a soft gasket, a semi-metal gasket and a metal gasket, Specifically, the following is suitably used.
(24) (1) Soft gasket
(25) Rubber O-ring Rubber seat (for full seating) Joint seat Expanded graphite sheet PTFE sheet PTFE jacketed type
(2) Semi-metal gasket Spiral-wound gasket Metal jacket gasket
(3) Metal gasket Solid-metal flat gasket Metal hollow O-ring Ring joint
(26) The same applies to the seal holding portions 25a1 and 26b1 provided around the openings of the branch flow paths 25 and 26, which will be described later, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
(27) The secondary flow path 24 includes two secondary flow paths 24A and 24B formed on opposite sides to each other with respect to the accommodation recesses 22A and 22B in the longitudinal directions B1 and B2 of the valve body 20, and a communication flow path 24C connecting the accommodation recesses 22A and 22B.
(28) The secondary flow paths 24A and 24B and the communication flow path 24C are formed on a common axis J1 extending in the longitudinal directions B1 and B2 of the valve body 20.
(29) One end of the secondary flow path 24A is opened at the inner peripheral surface 22b of the accommodation recess 22A, and the other end 24a1 is closed inside the valve body 20.
(30) One end of the secondary flow path 24B is opened on the inner peripheral surface 22b of the accommodation recess 22B, and the other end 24b1 is opened on the side surface 20f6.
(31) The opening of the side surface 20f6 of the secondary flow path 24B is provided with a blocking member 30 by means of welding or the like, and the opening of the secondary flow path 24B is blocked.
(32) One end of the communication channel 24C is opened at the inner peripheral surface 22b of the accommodation recess 22A, and the other end is opened at the inner peripheral surface 22h of the accommodation recess 22B. The secondary flow path 24A and the secondary flow path 24B communicate with each other via the communication flow path 24C.
(33) The secondary flow paths 24A and 24B and the communication flow path 24C constituting the secondary flow path 24 can be easily formed by using a tool such as a drill. The secondary flow path 24 may be formed by a cutting process from the other end of the valve body 20 using a drill or the like, or may be formed by a cutting process from both the one end and the other cud using a drill or the like to communicate with each other in the valve body 20.
(34) The secondary flow path 24A branches into two branch flow paths 25 at the other end 24a1, and opens at the top surface 20f1.
(35) The secondary flow path 24B branches into two branch flow paths 26 in the middle, and opens at the top surface 20f1.
(36) That is, in the valve device 1 according to the present embodiment, a fluid such as a gas flowing into the primary flow paths 21A and 21B, respectively, can be divided into four by the branch flow paths 25 and 26 of the secondary flow path 24.
(37) The valve elements 2A,2B each has a diaphragm 14, an inner disc 15, a valve seat 16 and a valve seat support 50.
(38) A valve seat support 50 having an outer diameter that fits with the inner peripheral surface 22c is inserted into each of the accommodation recesses 22A and 22B. As shown in
(39) The detour passage 50a of the valve seat support 50 is connected to the primary flow path 21 that opens at the bottom surface 22d of the accommodation recess 22.
(40) A valve seat 16 is provided on a support surface 501′1 of the valve seat support 50.
(41) The valve seat 16 is formed of a resin such as PFA or PTFE so as to be elastically deformable, and, as shown in
(42) The valve seat 16 is positioned with respect to the support surface 50f1 of the valve seat support 50 by the inner disk 15 as a positioning and pressing member, and is pressed toward the support surface 50f1 of the valve seat support 50. Specifically, a large diameter portion 15a1 and a small diameter portion 15a2 formed in the center portion of the inner disk 15 are formed, and a stepped surface 15a3 is formed between the large diameter portion 15a1 and the small diameter portion 15a2. An annular flat surface 15f1 is formed on one end surface side of the inner disk 15. An annular flat surface 15f2 is formed on the outer side on the other end surface side of the inner disk 15, and an annular flat surface 15f3 is formed on the inner side. The flat surface 15f2 and the flat surface 15f3 have different heights, and the flat surface 15f3 is positioned closer to the flat surface 15f1. An outer peripheral surface 15h that fits into the inner peripheral surface 22a of the accommodation recess is formed on the outer peripheral side of the inner disk 15. Further, a plurality of flow paths 15h passing from one end surface to the other end surface are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The large diameter portion 16b2 and the small diameter portion 16b1 of the valve seat 16 are fitted to the large diameter portion 15a1 and the small diameter portion 15a2 of the inner disk 15, whereby the valve seat 16 is positioned with respect to the support surface 50f1 of the valve seat support 50.
(43) The flat surface 15f2 of the inner disk 15 is disposed on a flat step surface formed between the inner peripheral surface 22a and the inner peripheral surface 22h of the accommodation recess 22. A diaphragm 14 is disposed on a flat surface 15f1 of the inner disk 15, and a holding ring 13 is disposed on the diaphragm 14.
(44) The actuator 10 is driven by a driving source such as a pneumatic pressure, and drives the diaphragm presser 12 movably held in the vertical directions A1 and A2. The tip end portion of the casing 11 of the actuator 10, as shown in
(45) The diaphragm 14 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the valve seat 16, and is formed of a metal such as a stainless steel or a NiCo based alloy, or a fluorinated resin in a spherical shell shape so as to be elastically deformable. The diaphragm 14 is supported by the valve body 20 so as to be able to abut against and separate from the seating surface 16s of the valve seat 16.
(46) In
(47) When the diaphragm 14 of the valve element 2A is released from the pressure by the diaphragm presser 12, the valve element is restored to a spherical shell shape as shown in
(48) Next, the diaphragm 14 of the valve element 2A is pressed again by the diaphragm presser 12, and the diaphragm 14 of the valve element 2B is released from the pressing by the diaphragm presser 12. As shown in
(49) As described above, according to the present embodiment, different fluids G1 and G2 supplied from the primary-flow paths 21A and 21B can be made to flow through the common secondary-flow path 24 composed of the secondary-flow paths 24A and 24B and the communication flow path 24C, and can be divided into four flows. That is, according to the present embodiment, in the miniaturized valve body 20, the two types of fluids G1 and G2 can be divided into four flows.
(50) Note that, according to the present embodiment, the case where the flow is divided into four flows is exemplified, but if the number of branches from the secondary flow paths 24A and 24B is increased, for example, the flow can be easily divided into a larger number of flows. Preferably, the number of branches is the same as the number of lines of the carrier gas to be delivered to the processing chamber 800, which will be described later.
(51) In addition, whichever fluid among the fluids G1 and G2 is made to circulate, since it flows through all of the secondary flow paths 24A and 24B and the communication flow path 24C, there is no flow path which generates a liquid pool, and the gas substitution property is extremely excellent.
(52) In particular, since the valve body 20 is integrally formed, the volume of the communication flow path 24C can be reduced, and the difference in response at the time of gas switching for each of the branched destinations can be minimized.
(53) In the above embodiment, the case where the secondary flow path 24 is branched into a plurality in the valve body 20, the branch flow path 25 and 26 open at the top surface 20f1 of the valve body 20 has been exemplified, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a configuration in which they open at the bottom surface 20f2 or any of the side surfaces 20f3 to 20f6 can also be adopted.
(54) In the above embodiment, the inner disk 15 and the valve seat 16 are separate members, but it is also possible to integrate the inner disk 15 and the valve seat 16.
(55) Although the above embodiment exemplifies the case where the two types of fluids G1 and G2 are divided into four flows, but the present invention is not limited to this, and if the primary flow path and the valve element are added to the common valve body 20, the types of fluids to be flowed into the valve device 1 can be further increased.
(56) In the above embodiment, since the fluid may stagnate in the region between the branch flow path 26 and the blocking member 30 of the secondary flow path 24B without being substituted. However, by embedding a round rod-shaped metal in this portion, is possible to further reduce the stagnation of the fluid.
(57) Referring to
(58) The fluid control device shown in
(59) Here, a “fluid device” is a device used in a fluid control device for controlling a flow of a fluid, and includes a body defining a fluid flow path, and has at least two flow path ports opening at a surface of the body. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, an open-close valve (two-way valve) 991A, a regulator 991B, a pressure gauge 991C, an open-close valve (three-way valve) 991D, a mass flow controller 991E which is a flow rate control device, and the like. The introducing pipe 993 is connected to a flow passage port on the upstream side of the flow passage (not shown) described above.
(60) The valve device 1 according to the present embodiment is applicable to the mass flow controller 991E described above, and the flow rate of the fluid is controlled by the mass flow controller 991E. The valve device 1 according to the present embodiment can be applied to valves such as an open-close valve (two-way valve) 991A, a regulator 991B, a pressure gauge 991C, and an open-close valve (three-way valve) 991D.
(61) Next,
(62) Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1000 is a system for performing a semiconductor manufacturing process using atomic layer deposition (ALD: Atomic Layer Deposition method), where 600 is a process gas supply source. 700 is a gas box. 710 is a tank, 800 is a processing chamber, and 900 is an exhaust pump. The fluid control device shown in
(63) In a treatment process that deposits a film on a substrate, in order to stably supply a process gas, a process gas supplied from a gas box 700 is temporarily stored in a tank 710 as a buffer, and a valve 720 provided in the immediate vicinity of the processing chamber 800 is opened and closed at high frequency to supply the process gas from the tank to the processing chamber of a vacuum atmosphere.
(64) The ALD method is one of chemical vapor deposition methods, in which two or more types of process gases are alternately flowed on the substrate surface under film forming conditions such as temperature and time to react with atoms on the substrate surface to deposit a film layer by layer. This method allows control per atom layer, making it possible to form a uniform film thickness and grow the film very finely, even in term of film quality.
(65) In the semiconductor manufacturing process by the ALD method, it is necessary to precisely adjust the flow rate of the process gas, and it is also necessary to secure the flow rate of the process gas to some extent by increasing the diameter of the substrate or the like.
(66) A gas box 700 containing a fluid control device provides an accurately metered amount of process gas to the processing chamber 800. The tank 710 functions as a buffer for temporarily storing the process gas supplied from the gas box 700.
(67) The processing chamber 800 provides a sealed processing space for forming a film on a substrate by an ALD method.
(68) The exhaust pump 900 draws a vacuum inside the processing chamber 800.
(69) The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various additions, modifications, and the like can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the application example described above, the valve device 1 is used in a semiconductor manufacturing process by the ALD method, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to any object requiring precise flow rate control, such as an atomic layer etching (ALE: Atomic Layer Etching) method.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
(70) 1: Valve device 2A,2B: Valve element 10: Actuator 11: Casing 12: Diaphragm presser 13: Holding ring 14: Diaphragm 15: inner disk 15h: Flow path 16: Valve seat 16a: Flow passage 16f: Sealing surface 16s: Seating surface 20: Valve body 20f1: Top surface 20f2: Bottom surface 20f3-20f6: Side surface 20h1 and 20h2: Screw hole 21A, 21B, 21: Primary flow path 21a, 21b: seal holding portion 22A, 22B, 22: Accommodation recess 24A, 24B, 24: Secondary flow path 24C: Communication flow path (secondary flow path) 25,26: Branch flow path 30: Blocking member 50: Valve seat support 50a: Detour passage 50b2, 50b3: Sealing surface 50f1: support surface 51: Sealing member 600: Process gas supply source 700: Gas box 710: Tank 720: Valve 800: Processing chamber 900: Exhaust pump 1000: Semiconductor manufacturing equipment A1: upward A2: downward J1: Axis